Have you ever experienced burnout?

[tyrantqueen]

Burnout is the term used to describe the sudden lack of interest in a hobby that you previously enjoyed. Some refer to it as "hitting a wall". It tends to occur in large collections.

I have experienced it a couple of times. At the moment I'm feeling kind of burnt out, even though I don't have a huge collection any more. I think that it's easy to get burnt out when you pick up every figure you can, just to complete a collection, rather than buying it because you genuinely love it.

What is the best thing to do when you're burnt out?

[IrritatorRaji]

I've never really been "burnt out", but I have been so overwhelmed to the point it became discouraging.

Like, at the start of this year so many models were being revealed, Beasts of the Mesozoic, Mattel's JW toys, Vitae, Rucur, 2018 figures for Papo, Scheich, Safari, Collecta, Bullyland, Rebor, Mojo, Kaiyodo and on and on and on.

On the one hand, it's great to to have so much variety But on the other, having a "GOTTA COLLECT 'EM ALL" mindset just gets stressful, especially when there's some sort of time frame on some figures, like Vitae apparently taking the path of PNSO and BotM being available for a reduced price up until a certain date. And when the price of all the new releases gets too high... I dunno, it's just the worst. I remember buying 4 Mattel toys and having to shell out a little over £100 for them. I also just paid £75 for the blue BotM Velociraptor. It does certainly lead to moments where I'm staring at my shelves going "I'll never have an impressive collection", "I'll never be able to buy the best figures", "why couldn't I have fallen in love with a cheaper hobby" and so on.

That being said though, I don't buy things "just to complete a collection", I do genuinely purchase figures that I love, but when you're a person who's easily impressed by anything and everything dinosaur related...... yeah.....


EDIT: I should also add that I've never been one for dealing with stress well. So when I become stressed and overwhelmed with dinosaur collecting I don't really try to do anything to cope. I will admit though, I became so frustrated last month that I "took a break" from collecting and tried to learn to do something I've always wanted to be a master at; baking cakes. It was at the 3 hour mark and after 4 attempts of "whipping the egg whites to soft peaks" that I decided to just stick to what I was good at.... impulsively buying dinosaurs

[SBell]

I'll admit, I don't know if it's true burnout, but I have definitely found myself less engaged with the dinosaur collecting. I still enjoy what I have...but I find myself far less inclined to try and get everything (I don't have much of this year's Safari, for example, and I will only chase down the CollectA that truly interests me...none will actually be dinosaurs!)

I think part of my burnout was due to the sudden difficulty in getting the models here in North America. I have my online store, so it made it a little too easy to get everything; but now I don't even see the figures in the cartons of figures, and it's almost like it's less engaging (still like them though).

I dealt with it by...severely reducing my collection, and really trying to keep it to what I truly love and enjoy (this is true of modern animals as well, which were also drastically reduced).

And I've also turned my attention back to other animal collecting that interested me more to begin with--mostly fish, primarily freshwater fish.

[Jose S.M.]

I started collecting not long ago so I haven't been felt tired yet, also I limited my purchases to one per genera so I don't get overwhelmed if there's 5 Triceratops released at the same time, I would just pick the one that I like the most. But I'm kind of disappointed that except for Safari, all other Major brands are getting harder to get in America. Shipping cost limits me to buy mostly from U.S so the fact that CollectA and the Papo's I want are arriving so late in the year kind of killed my excitement for those brands, I guess that's me being a little impatient. My finances are better in the early months so that has to do with it too.

[Faelrin]

I haven't been burned out from this hobby, but I have been from another, for about a year, and only just now getting back into it again slowly.

It is a bit disappointing for me at times though since I'm a bit late to this collecting game, so if there's lots I like (Safari Ltd, JW, BotM, Papo, etc), then I have lots of catching up to do. Of course I tend to prioritize what interests me most and newer releases, which may or may not push things back further, since there's new stuff released every year. I might just have to cut things off my wishlist as well, because of growing lack of space, and price. Like I still don't have any Papo figures that I want yet, and I might need to push them back till next year because I'm totally focusing on collecting the JW stuff this year.

[Cretaceous Crab]

I've almost gotten to that point this past few months. But I don't consider myself a purist, although maybe at one point, I wanted to. Limited funds and space now dictates that I only get figures that I want because I like the figure.

However, since CollectA is going to be harder and harder to find, I find myself wanting more of their figures.

[Syndicate Bias]

Yea a few years ago. I used to collect carneige/safari dinosaurs since i was 5, kept going up until i believe 14. And ended up donating all of them away. It was alot of dinosaurs. Too many. I started collecting again just last year in January after having a bit of revival and interest in the hobby after hoping that a giganotosaurus would finally surface by then that i would like. And luckily for me 2017 was the year both safari and vitae released their Giganotosaurus and heard rumours about a possible papo one and hopes for a PNSO one so a bit about over a year and i haven't had that same burnt out yet. Hopefully it doesn't come to getting rid of all of them again

[John]

I have never been burned out on dinosaurs and prehistoric animals,but I have with other hobbies.But sooner or later I always come back to them.

[BlueKrono]

I haven't burnt out yet; on the contrary forums like this have definitely fanned the flames! I think what might do it in the end could be 3-D printing. I've seen some delicious models that some people are creating (especially a certain one on this forum), and it makes me think that there's essentially an unlimited number of possible figures. Fatally disheartening to a completist like myself. 

[Ravonium]

Yes I have, from both this hobby and the modern animal collecting hobby (despite the fact I've never been a completist for any company), although this has been happening significantly less since I joined the DTF/ATF/STS network.

[SidB]

I have never been burned out on dinosaurs and prehistoric animals,but I have with other hobbies.But sooner or later I always come back to them.

Same here. For me, I've employed several strategies to aid me along the way, such as restraining any incipient greed by not being a compulsive completionist, giving away large numbers of duplicates or makes that weren't really wanted and picking and choosing selected models from lines that are of secondary interest. I've managed to build up a fairly substantial collection of Safari, Battat, Invicta, Schleich, Papo and Favorite, along with a smattering of others, but this is more a function of persistent collecting over a long period of time, rather than frenzied pursuit. Its been a lot of fun and the thrill of the hunt is still there, but I refuse to let it consume me. The people in my life are way more important. By relegating collecting to a secondary status, I find that it remains fresh. I own it, not vice-versa.

[Roselaar]

I'm experiencing it at the moment, though for different, more personal reasons. I just find I enjoy all the things I really enjoyed previously (including dinosaurs) far less right now, because I'm doing it all alone... I'm working on it, but's it's not easy. This life.

So yeah, good time to bring out JW2, BotM and all the new models from our favorite companies...

[Shonisaurus]

In my case at all I haven't experienced exhaustion or burnout, it is more I recognize that I am obsessed with regard to the world of prehistory and especially in prehistoric animals, except the evolution of the human being, there is no day that does not stop thinking about animals both extinct and existing and is not only now but always.

As far as I am concerned, it helps me to forget all the problems that I have of all kinds and this hobby makes me isolate myself from the sad daily reality, both from a political and economic point of view. For me prehistory and the prehistoric world is the "Paradise Lost" the "Eden". That is, a time when there was no human evil as we know it especially because our species did not exist during most of prehistory and when it existed both in the first hominid ancestors of man and the first human beings were not as sadistic as we are now

What has been said makes me forget a little about the problems one has in life as far as I am concerned.

Now, for economic reasons, I'm going to start doing a war economy, and I'm just going to limit myself to the three Battat figures I'm missing and the prehistoric animal figures of Play Visions that I'm looking for, I can not afford many expenses. Now I have to save and a lot in my case.

I prefer to eat something hot in my case and survive the time it takes with my savings to spend money that will be necessary for the future.

[DinoToyForum]

I'm experiencing it at the moment, though for different, more personal reasons. I just find I enjoy all the things I really enjoyed previously (including dinosaurs) far less right now, because I'm doing it all alone... I'm working on it, but's it's not easy. This life.

So yeah, good time to bring out JW2, BotM and all the new models from our favorite companies...

You're not all alone, you have us! (But I know that's not what you meant).

Objects can have memories associated with them. That can be both good and bad.

[DinoToyForum]

I've never experienced burnout for dinosaurs or dinosaur toys, but then I'm a relatively moderate collector. Also, dinosaurs are part of my career, so I'm truly invested in them. I can't imagine my life without them!

I did experience burnout, if you want to call it that, with Star Wars collecting. But that's Star Wars' problem, not mine. I don't miss it, but I do like to revisit my vintage collection every now and again (as you'll know if you follow my Youtube channel).

[Gwangi]

I wouldn't say I've ever gotten burnt out but I've certainly felt frustration with what I can acquire at this stage of my life. I'm not a completest, I only collect what I really want, but even keeping up with that has gotten difficult. So many companies putting out so much stuff. I need to find new ways to regulate myself and make collecting fun. Quality over quantity or something along those lines.

Dinosaurs have never been my primary hobby. It used to be fish keeping, now reptile keeping but I also do nature photography, fishing, etc. A lot of expensive hobbies made dinosaur collecting a low priority. Then about 3 years ago my daughter was born and that changed my perspective a lot, pushing dinosaur collecting into near non-existence. It is hard to justify spending money on toy dinosaurs for myself when providing for a child. Not just because of her but also what with having moved out of state, buying a house, having my reptile hobby take precedent. I guess I've reached a new stage of adulthood, kids will do that to you. I get more joy out of getting new dinosaurs for her, or even giving her some of mine.

One of my favorite things about this hobby is writing reviews for the DTB. So much so that I was kind of limiting myself to buying figures that needed reviews. I've passed up a lot of great models just so I could get another one that needed a review. That's gotten rather difficult as of late and now there are just too many models I want that have already been written about, I don't even have the Safari Tyrannosaurus yet! Models without reviews that I also want to collect are rare. I'm trying to find an untapped niche in that regard, something I can collect that is rarely reviewed.

[Bokisaurus]

A good question. Personally, I haven't with dino toys collecting. Like any hobby, there are a lot of ebbs and flows that comes as far as level of enthusiasm.
As a starter, I felt like I had so much to collect, and I also went to a completist phase. Engagement in the forum and blog also have kept my interest healthy and alive

4 years ago, some big changes happened in my life that completely changed how I approach this hobby. With financial reality, my habit has changed. I no longer can afford a lot of the figure I wanted to add to my collection.
I slowed down, and for a w while thought that I may be burnout, but I cam to the realization that it was not the case, it was simply the I can no longer afford many things.
With that, I became more selective in what I buy.
During that time, the last 4 years, I have also slowly gone though , and still am in the process, my collection and started to thin out. After collecting for almost 20 years, one bulls up a pretty good size collection. In my case, I live in a small apartment, so the majority of my collection ended up in bins.
The process of weeding out my collection, brought my level of enthusiasm back up. That's how my Collection thread was born. It was nice to see some of my old favorites again and to take photographs of them, which I really love and enjoy.
Besides collecting Dino figures, I also have other things that I like to do. I also do oil painting and fish prints.

My advise, is to not force yourself back. Take a break and go thought your collection and find those favorites of yours and enjoy them. BUT NEVER get rid of your collection or favorites. Sooner or later, the passion will come back.
Cheers! 

[Shonisaurus]

I totally agree with you Bokisaurus. If you leave your collection selling it or giving it away then you will regret it for a long time. That is one of my reasons why I value each of the figures of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals as if they were my family.

To value the small things as they are in this case the toys of dinosaurs and the resin figures makes you from my point of view better person.

I think that to value small things as a collection and have them on shelves and take care of their appearance, in my case makes me from my point of view a much better person. If you value the least important you value the important things in your life and that produces a personal enrichment at least in my case.

[Libraraptor]

 An interesting new thread. Well, passion comes and goes. Burn out means there used to be a fire, maybe burning a little too hot now and then. At the moment I am at a relatively low point. After a knee surgery a week ago and some uncertainties I slowly crawl back into  life. Do not want to mention details here and do not want to complain, either.  As to collecting,  it frustrates me that there is so much month at the end of the money.  I cannot afford most of the fogures I would like to buy. Plus,  I had two very unpleasant attempts for deals where my packages never reached the partner and I am very ashamed of it. In addition I have not been reviewing for a long time now.  Firstly because I do not have the time.  Secondly I do not have the self-esteem,  seeing our reviews on the DTB becoming much more professional, which I appreciate very much btw.
But on the other hand,  I tell myself, things like these happen. And regarding Cora and my Lindes or Kleinwelkas for example, I am able to enjoy what I was able to achieve.
Sounds not as optimistic as you know me, but that is how it is. There will be better times I a sure and we cannot change the world,  only our views at it. Hard work, but  I am sure I will succeed.  Thanks for the attention,  my fellow collectors!

[tanystropheus]

There's been a drastic spike in the quantity and quality of dinosaur models (even prehistoric mammals) over the last few years. Paradoxically, it is having a depressing effect. How do I prioritize? So many uncompleted sets  What do I forego?